Electrical connector



April 1956 w. B. ENSINGER ELECTRICAL CONNECTCR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July l, 1952 NVEXTL ?R WILL/S B. ENS//VG'ER ja@ I I Q 507@ .S

United Sttes Parent O (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The invention relates to improvements in electrical connectors and more particularly to a multiple connector for removably attaching external wires to electrical equipment.

An important object of the invention is to provide a compact multiple wire connector that protrudes only a minimum distance from the equipment being served.

Another important object is the provision of a connector of the character described which is more secure than previous connectors.

A further object is to provide a connector of the character described so constructed as to simplify the attachment of external wires thereto.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily apprecated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the acompanying drawings wheren:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved electrical connector showing dual sets of insulated wires connected thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the cover with its associated parts and illustrating the manner of assembling terminal plugs on the wires therein;

Fig. 3 is a view of the wired connector partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section substantally on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a view of the wired connector partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of a socket terminal contact preferably forming part of the connector.

In the drawings, which for the purpose of illustration show only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral generally designates the improved connector including a molded plast'c insulative body 11 having a base wall 12, side walls 16 and 17, and an upstanding central longitudinal wall 13 defining zones 14, 15 at opposte sides of the body. Each zone 14, 15 is accessible from above the base wall 12 and from the direction of one of the side walls 16, 17. Extending downwardly from the base wall 12 of the body is an integral shank portion 18 serving to lead conductors through a suitable opening (not shown) in the electrical equipment being served. suitable openings 19 are formed in the base wall to receive fastening screws (not shown) for the attachment of the body to the electrical equipment being served. Firmly embedded in the shank portion 13 adjacent opposite sides of the central wall 13 are parallel rows 20 of spaced elongated contacts 21, each contact including an upstanding hollow cylindrical socket member 22 provided with a slot 23 2 facing the side of the body opposite the central wall 13.

Removably fastened to the body by cap screws 24, 25 is a metal cap 26 comprising a top plate member 8 and downwardly depending peripheral wall 9. The metal cap 26 carries opposite sets 27, 28 of insulated conductors 29 and contacts 30, filler blocks 31, 32 and trans verse spacer members or yokes 33, 34. The contacts 30 include elongated tubular portions 35 for soldered or crimped attachment to stripped end portions of the insulated conductors 29, and ball heads 36 integrally joined to the tubular portions through reduced diameter necks 37 of a size to enter slots 23. The heads 36 are of a diameter to snap into the socket members 22 under pressure and rest firmly against a seat 22a, preferably of arcuate form. Each filler block is formed of rubber or similar resilient material of suitable mechanical properties and is provided with a series of parallel holes 38 through which a set 27, 28 of conductors 29 extends. These filler blocks each include a shank portion 39 adapted to projectvthrough an elongated opening 40 in the wall 9 of the metal cap 26, and an overhanging por tion 41 adapted to engage the ball heads 36 at one side of the cover. 4

Each transverse spacer member or yoke 33, 34 is formed of suitable insulating plastic material with separate openings for each conductor 29 of a set 27, 28. Each member 33, 34 is provided with spaced Separator fins 42 normally interposed between adjacent spherical heads 36. As shown in Fg. 2 each of the contacts 30 has a fixed collar or shoulder member 7 which is fiattened at the sides, as at 7a, such that it prevents turning of the wires 29 when it is seated in place between the fins 42.

In assembling the electrical connector, the sets of wires 29 are inserted through the cover 26, and then pushed through the respective filler blocks 31, 32 and spacer members 33, 34. The ends of the wires 29 are now stripped of insulation a suitable distance, as shown in Fig. 2, and either soldered or crimped to the tubular portions of the ball tipped contacts 30.

The wires are then drawn back so that shoulders 7 on the contacts 30 are in firm engagement against spacer members 33, 34 and in turn the spacer members 33, 34 are firmly nested against and in the rubber blocks 31, 32 respectively. The blocks 31, 32 will then be in snug engagement with the cap or cover 26.

The body 11, in which the upstanding contacts 21 are molded, s installed in the instrument or device to be served, the necessary wire connections being made from the inside of the instrument to the tubular inner end of each socketed contact 21.

When the electrical connection is to' be made, the ball heads 36 are snapped into place in the respective slotted upstanding ends of the socket members 22, the cover 26 being pushed down on the assembly. The screws 24, 25 are then driven into the body so that the cover applies a compression load on the overhanging portions of the filler blocks 31, 32 to hold the contacts 21, 30 against separation, and the entire connector in tight assembly. From the foregong it is clear that the invention provides both compactness and security in the electrical coupling.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electrical connector, an insulative body including a base member, an upstanding wall disposed along theperiphery of said base member and partitioningmeans etending upwardly from said base member at a positionspaced from said upstanding wall' to form a zone thereamong, said zone beingaccessibie from above said base and .from the direction of said upstanding wall, a first elongated contact fixed in 'said body 'and including an upstanding hollow cyiindical socket member provided with a slot facing said 'accessible .side of the body and having a seat accessible from above said base member` a cover releasably Secured to said body including a top plate and a downwardly depending side wall provided with Ia conductor leaddn 'opening ,conimunicating with said zone, a co'nductor extending through said opening and t'erminatig in a second .elgated contact extending laterally through said sIot substantially normal to said first contact and provided with a ball tip releasablypre'ss fitted in the seat of said socket member from above said base member, and a releasably compressible insulative filler block dispos'ed between said second contact and said 'top piate, said filler block being dmensioned 'to hold 'said ball tip in firm contact with said seat within said 'socket member while said cover ,is secured to said body.

2. A multiple elect'rcal Connector comprsing an insulative body including a base wall, a vertical partitioning member, and annpstandng wall spaced from said partitioning member to define a zone accessible from above said base wall and from the direction of said upstandng wall, a row of spaced eiongated contacts fixed in said 'base wall adjacent said partitioning memeach inclu ing an upstandng louow lcylindrcal sucket member provided with a 'slot facing said upstandilg wall and having a ball seat accessible from above said base wall, a cover releasably Secured to said body ncluding an upper wall and a depending side wall provided with a conductor lead-in opening communicating with said zone, conductors extending through said opening and terminating in elongated contacts provided with ball tips each releasably press fitted from above said base wall into the ball seat appurtenant to a socket member in said row of spaced elongated contacts, and a resiliently compressible insulative filler block disposed between said ball tip contacts and said, upper Wall, said filler block being dimensioned to hold said ball tips in press fitted engagement within associated socket members of said row of contacts while said cover is Secured to said body.

3. The electrical connector defined in claim 1 including an electrically insulative yoke strip provided with a row of holes through which said ball tip contacts extend, said strip mechanically maintaining said ball tipped contacts spaced to correspond to the spacing of said fixed contacts. A

4. The electrical Connector defined in claim 1 including an electrically insulative yoke strip provided with a row of holes through which said ball tip contacts extend, said strip mechanically maintaining said ball tipped contacts spaced to correspond to the spacing of said fixed contacts, and shoulders on said ball tippedcontacts engaging said yoke strip to prevent withdrawal of said ball tipped contacts through said yoke holes and having ats to engage portions of the strip to prevent turningaof the contacts. e

References cited in the file of this 'patent UNITED STAT ES PATEN'IS 2,425,679 Jackson Aug. 12, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 484553 France Oct. 18, 1 917 492,126 France June 28, 1919 836,008 France Ian. 9, 1939 

